While it may be true that there’s some developers abandoning the app model for HTML5, there’s certainly some that are sticking with the app model and making a nice living at it, like Tapulous, who it was discovered this month, is making over $1 million per month in App Store sales.
It’s no doubt that Apple has some fixin’ to do with it’s App Store approval process, where rules of what’s allowed and what’s not is unclear at times, but for those that choose to stick with it, the rewards can big huge.
While some argue that the success stories are few and far between for Apple’s App Store, at least there are winners profiting off of engaging games and applications. Try finding any runaway success stories for the app stores of RIM, Palm or Google Android. You’ll be hard-pressed.
But back to the issue of local apps or web apps. The bottom line is that you’re not going to get the same level of experience from a web app that you do from a local app. Perhaps there will come a day when the internet pipes will make this a moot point, but for now local apps are king. This is because JavaScript and HTML (even HTML5) can’t match the power from the iPhone OS Technology Layers. You won’t get the same level of 2D, 3D, speed or smoothness of animation in web apps.
It’s like having your front axle and rear axle connected by a drivetrain that’s 50 feet long. Sure you’ll eventually start moving, but with a fraction of the response time and speed of a normal sized drivetrain.